Cranking device



I. F. HARRIS.

CRANKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- a. I918 Patented June 24. 1919. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

awuzwtoz I. F- HARRlS.

CRANKING DEVICE.

- APPLICATION FILED MAR.8.-|9|u.

Patented June 24, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'11; Namus PEYERS conpuoro-Lnna.wAsmNcwN,11L.

IRVIN F. HARRIS, 0F WAXAHAGHIE, TEXAS.

CRANKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J unc 24, 1919.

Application filed March 8, 1918. Serial No. 221,199.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, IRvIN F. HARRIS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at l/VaXahachie, in the county of Ellis and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Cranking Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to cranking devices intended for starting internal combustionengines and designed principally for use on an automobile.

The main object of the invention is the production of a cranking device which may be operated from a point distant therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a suitable motor for cranking the engine.

A still further object within the contemplation of the invention is the provision of means for windin the motor.

A still further 0 ject contemplated by the invention is the provision of means for releasing the motor.

Another object contemplated by the invention is the production of a simple, durable and efficient cranking device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment 'of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cranking device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of the same; 1 Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 4 is a similar View looking in the'opposite direction;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view takenon the line 55 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section, parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the device, the shaft shownin section; s

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail View in elevation of a crank arm of the winding mechanlsm;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the ratchet wheel.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference In carrying out the invention there is provided a horizontally disposed bar 10 which is adapted to be strapped or otherwise secured to the front supporting frame of an automobile. Ayoke 11 is secured to and rises from the bar 10. This bar and yoke form the main support of the device. The bar and yoke are provided with apertures for the reception of bolts 12 or like fastening means which serve to bind the main structure to the support.

A vertically disposed, preferably circular plate 13 is apertured to receive the bolts 1.2 and is supported by the bolts slightly in front of, and in spaced relation to the bar 10 and yoke 11. Resting against the front face of the plate 13, and secured in place by a bracket'arm 14 oneend of which is made fast to a bolt 12, or in other suitable manner, is a spring retainer, indicated generally at 15, to which is secured one end of the helical spring 16 the other end of which is made fast to a shaft 17 A plate 18 is also apertured to receive the bolts 12 by which it'is held forwardly of the plate 13, and these plates are held in spaced relation by spacing sleeves which surround the bolts 12, or in other suitable manner. The plate 18 is centrally apertured to permit the passage therethrough of the shaft .17 and is also formed with a forwardly projecting central boss 19 which serves to retain a circular plate 20 which is mounted on the shaft 17 in spaced relation with the plate 18.

The plate 20 is provided at one portion of its periphery with a radially disposed curved extension 21 one end of which terminates in a notch 22 which notch is adapted to receive, successively, the ends of a diametrically opposed pair of dogs 23. Each dog 23 is formed with an apertured end 24 which is adapted to pivotally receive a bolt 12, and also witha flange 25 at one side of the dog. Each flange 25 overlaps the rear face of the plate 20, and sestired to the free efii ofeach flange is a rearwardly extending pin 26 which passes through alining arcuate slots 26 formed in the plates 13 and 18. Leaf springs 27 which are secured to the front face of the plate 18, as at 28, engage the dogs 23 for the purpose of retaining them in contact with the periphery of the plate 20.

Pawls 29 are p'ivotally secured to the front face of the plate 20 and are held by springs 30 in contact with a ratchet wheel 31 which is mounted on the forward end of the shaft 17 to turn therewith. Any preferred means of securing the ratchet wheel 31 on the shaft 17 may be employed, but as here shown the forward end of the shaft 17 is reduced to provide diametrically opposed flat faces or surfaces 17, thus making the end of the shaft substantially oblong in cross section. The ratchet wheel 31 is provided with a central aperture corresponding in outline to the outline of a cross section of the forward end of the shaft 17. It will thus be seen that the ratchet wheel is free to be slipped on or removed from the shaft and, at the same time, is locked against rotation with respect to the shaft while in place upon the shaft.

An arm 32 has a substantially oblong aperture formed in one end thereof to permit the arm to be mounted on the forward end of the shaft 17, with which it turns. The arm is provided, between its ends, with an aperture 33 forming a bearing for a stud 34 which projects from the center of one face of a spur gear 35.

A cup-shaped nut 36 is threaded on the forward end of the shaft 17, and this nut is provided with a slot 37 extending for a short distance circumferentially thereof. This slot is adapted to receive a sector of the periphery of the spur gear so that the gear projects within the cupped portion a distance equal to the depth of the teeth of the gear.

A plate 38 is centrally apertured to receive the cup nut 36 and is also apertured to receive the forward ends of the bolts 12 by which it is bound in place. An annular rib 39 is secured to or formed on the rear face of the plate 38 and its inner periphery is provided with gear teeth to form an internal gear with which the spur gear 35 meshes.

The mechanism heretofore described is incased or housed in a cylindrical casing 40 formed at its rear open or unheaded end with a peripheral flange 40 which extends outwardly and engages the forward face of the plate 13 to which plate it is bolted or otherwise secured. The head of the casing 40 is centrally apertured and about the aperture is a forwardly extending annular flange 41 which provides a hub in which a stub shaft 42.is' rotatable, Rigid on the inner end of the stub shaft 42 is a pinion 43 which is rotatable within the cup nut 36 and is slidable longitudinally thereof to mesh with the spur gear 35.

Adjacent its forward end, the stub shaft 42 is bored diametrically to receive a crank arm44 which merges into the angled end or handle 44. A block 45 is pivotally secured to the other end of the crank arm'and may be thrown to contact the flange 41, as seen most clearly in Fig. 2, for the purpose of retaining the pinion 43 out of mesh wlth the spur gear 35.

A cam plate 46 is mounted for oscillation on the shaft 17 between the plate 13 and the bar 10 and its yoke 11, and this plate has connected thereto the opposed links 47 to which are secured the rods or cables 48 through which the plate 46 may be rocked. The ends of the cam plate 46 are adapted to alternately engage the rearwardly extending ends of the pins 26 for the purpose of forcing them outwardly and so lifting the dogs 23 from engagement with the notch 22 and freeing the plate 20 to make a half revolution under the impulse of the spring 16.

The rearwardly extending end of the shaft 17 is slotted for a short distance longitudinally thereof, and through this slot extends a pin 49 which is secured in a clutch member 50 and which serves to secure the clutch member to the shaft to slide thereon. The clutch member 50 may be moved back and forth on the shaft 17 in any preferred manner, as by means of the lever 51.

In practice the device is operated in the following manner To wind the spring 16, which forms the motive power ofthe device, the block 45 is thrown to a position the reverse of that shown which releases the stub shaft 42 to be thrust rearwardly and bring the pinion 43 in mesh with the spur gear 35. If now the crank arm 44 be turned counter clockwise, the spur gear 35 will rotate clockwise and revolve counter clockwise about the internal gear on the rib 39. The spur gear 35 will carry the arm 32 with it and thereby rotate the shaft 17 counter clockwise.

During the movement just described, the plate 20 will remain stationary, being held by the frictional contact of the dogs 23 with the periphery thereof. The pawls 29 will click past the teethof the ratchet wheel 31 and lock the shaft 17 against movement clockwise under the impulse of the spring 16.

The purpose of interposing the pinion 43, spur gear 35 and internal gear on the rib 29 between the crank arm and the spring is to reduce the power necessary to be applied to wind the spring.

After the spring has been wound, as above described, the pinion 43 is again drawn out of mesh with the spur gear 35'.- When the engine isltol be cranked, the clutch member 50 is moved intoeengagement with its supplemental member on the end of the crank shaft; the plate 46 is rocked one Way or the other to press outwardly upon the proper pin 26 and release the proper dog 23 from the notch 22. When the dog is released, the plate 20 and with it the shaft 17 is free to make a half revolution under the impulse of the spring 16. This will turn the engine or motor over and cause the same to be started. The projection 21 on the plate 20, coming in contact with the dog 23, will cause the motor to slow down before the pawl comes into engagement with the notch 22. This avoids shock upon stopping the motor.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and sought by Letters Patent, is

- 1.-A starter for gas engines, including a shaft, means for coupling the shaft to the crank shaft of an engine, a casing, a spring motor in the casing and connected to the shaft, a crank arm, gearing between the crank arm and the shaft to turn the shaft and wind the motor, means for locking the motor in wound position, means for releasing the motor to rotate the shaft, and means for relocking the motor.

2. A starter for gas engines, including a shaft, means for coupling the shaft tothe crank shaft of an engine, a casing, a spring motor in the casing and connected to the shaft, an arm rotatable with the shaft, a spur gear carried by the arm, an internal gear carried by the casing and engaged by the spur gear, a crank arm, a pinion on the crank arm and adapted to engage the" spur gear to rotate the spur gear and revolve it about the internal gear to rotate the shaft and wind the motor, and means for releasing the motor to rotate the shaft.

3. A starter for gas engines, including a shaft, means for coupling the shaft to the crank shaft of an engine, a casing, a spring motor in the casing and attached to the shaft, means for winding the motor, means for releasing the motor to rotate the shaft, means for relocking the motor against rotation, and means for retarding the motor before relocking.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affmed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IRVIN F. HARRIS. Witnesses:

J. C. PAYNE, W. E. MCKNIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

